Struggling Vince Carter Sanctuary rehab closes, changes focus

Published: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 11:08 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 11:09 p.m.

The Vince Carter Sanctuary was supposed to be a place where the well-to-do would go to get sober in a pristine setting.

The center's staff included a chef to cook gourmet meals. Promoters likened the $8 million sanctuary opened in 2009 to the Betty Ford Center, the California treatment facility known for helping the rich and famous kick their addictions.

Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare, the nonprofit organization operating the center, hoped the sanctuary in Bunnell would generate revenue to subsidize indigent care for less fortunate members of the community.

That vision, however, didn't pan out, and on Friday, the sanctuary laid off about 40 employees. The center is now being converted into a women's health and recovery center that will serve 52 drug-addicted women from Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties.

“We have struggled for the operations to break even,” said Chet Bell, CEO of Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare. “Our assessment was it was not going to be a profitable venture for us, and it would be better to reorganize around our core mission.”

The center's employees will be able to apply for different positions with Stewart-Marchman-Act, but because they won't be working for an exclusive treatment facility, some of their salaries could be lower, Bell said.

Ultimately, it will take a few weeks to determine exactly how many people will be out of a job, he said. Overall, Bell anticipates Stewart-Marchman-Act will maintain its 625-employee workforce or maybe shed a few positions.

The reluctance of insurance companies to cover residential drug treatment and the sluggish economy contributed to the program's end, Bell said. A 45-day stint at the sanctuary costs $27,000.

The sanctuary features 50 bedrooms, but its highest patient count was in the 20s. The past six months only about 10 to 15 clients were receiving services.

Two people were in the program Friday, and they were referred to comparable services in accordance with applicable guidelines, Bell said.

A complaint was filed with the Department of Children and Families about the handling of those patients, said John Harrell, a spokesman for the agency. He could not elaborate on the matter because an investigation is ongoing.

Stewart-Marchman-Act is hoping to unveil a new Vince Carter Sanctuary on April 1. The organization received a $2 million state allotment to expand a program known as Women Assisting Recovering Mothers from 16 to 32 beds. The program helps pregnant women and mothers with children up to the age of 6.

Project WARM services are presently being offered at facilities on Beach Street and off U.S. 92 between Daytona Beach and DeLand. Those programs and additional beds to help women with substance abuse issues will be moved to Bunnell, consolidating services in one central location.

Supporters of Stewart-Marchman-Act are excited about the change, including Michelle Carter-Scott, who donated $1.6 million to build the facility along with her son and NBA player Vince Carter, said Deborah Zeoli, president of the organization's Foundation.

“It's always a little sad when you have to close a program,” Zeoli said. “At the same time, the opportunity for Project WARM is overwhelmingly supported. It is going to be a huge resource for the community. It's to help women, but it's also going to help their children.”

While Vince Carter Sanctuary is changing its focus, others in the community believe long-term residential treatment can be successful locally. A 10-bed residential treatment facility opened in August on 10 acres in Edgewater.

The private facility, called Serenity Springs Recovery Center, costs $14,500 for a 30-day stay, but scholarships are available that can cover half of the cost of treatment, said Jimmy Marshall III, chief operating officer.

<p>The Vince Carter Sanctuary was supposed to be a place where the well-to-do would go to get sober in a pristine setting. </p><p> The center's staff included a chef to cook gourmet meals. Promoters likened the $8 million sanctuary opened in 2009 to the Betty Ford Center, the California treatment facility known for helping the rich and famous kick their addictions. </p><p> Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare, the nonprofit organization operating the center, hoped the sanctuary in Bunnell would generate revenue to subsidize indigent care for less fortunate members of the community. </p><p> That vision, however, didn't pan out, and on Friday, the sanctuary laid off about 40 employees. The center is now being converted into a women's health and recovery center that will serve 52 drug-addicted women from Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties. </p><p> “We have struggled for the operations to break even,” said Chet Bell, CEO of Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare. “Our assessment was it was not going to be a profitable venture for us, and it would be better to reorganize around our core mission.” </p><p> The center's employees will be able to apply for different positions with Stewart-Marchman-Act, but because they won't be working for an exclusive treatment facility, some of their salaries could be lower, Bell said. </p><p> Ultimately, it will take a few weeks to determine exactly how many people will be out of a job, he said. Overall, Bell anticipates Stewart-Marchman-Act will maintain its 625-employee workforce or maybe shed a few positions. </p><p> The reluctance of insurance companies to cover residential drug treatment and the sluggish economy contributed to the program's end, Bell said. A 45-day stint at the sanctuary costs $27,000. </p><p> The sanctuary features 50 bedrooms, but its highest patient count was in the 20s. The past six months only about 10 to 15 clients were receiving services. </p><p> Two people were in the program Friday, and they were referred to comparable services in accordance with applicable guidelines, Bell said. </p><p> A complaint was filed with the Department of Children and Families about the handling of those patients, said John Harrell, a spokesman for the agency. He could not elaborate on the matter because an investigation is ongoing. </p><p> Stewart-Marchman-Act is hoping to unveil a new Vince Carter Sanctuary on April 1. The organization received a $2 million state allotment to expand a program known as Women Assisting Recovering Mothers from 16 to 32 beds. The program helps pregnant women and mothers with children up to the age of 6. </p><p> Project WARM services are presently being offered at facilities on Beach Street and off U.S. 92 between Daytona Beach and DeLand. Those programs and additional beds to help women with substance abuse issues will be moved to Bunnell, consolidating services in one central location. </p><p> Supporters of Stewart-Marchman-Act are excited about the change, including Michelle Carter-Scott, who donated $1.6 million to build the facility along with her son and NBA player Vince Carter, said Deborah Zeoli, president of the organization's Foundation. </p><p> “It's always a little sad when you have to close a program,” Zeoli said. “At the same time, the opportunity for Project WARM is overwhelmingly supported. It is going to be a huge resource for the community. It's to help women, but it's also going to help their children.” </p><p> While Vince Carter Sanctuary is changing its focus, others in the community believe long-term residential treatment can be successful locally. A 10-bed residential treatment facility opened in August on 10 acres in Edgewater. </p><p> The private facility, called Serenity Springs Recovery Center, costs $14,500 for a 30-day stay, but scholarships are available that can cover half of the cost of treatment, said Jimmy Marshall III, chief operating officer. </p><p> Serenity Springs offers surfing lessons, fishing, kayaking, yoga and acupuncture to patients.</p><p> Marshall said the center's small overhead will help it succeed, despite the price tag for treatment. Seven clients were enrolled Friday, he said. </p><p> “You can recover from this disease,” Marshall said. “There is a solution from this.”</p>